Signal for automobiles



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,065

J. P. HANSON SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed June 17,1924 Oct. 9, 1928. v v 1,687,065

' J. P. HANSON ,S IGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jun e 17, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 mm M w Oct. 9, 1928.

' J- P. HANSON' SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 1'7, 1924 i5Shoots-Sheet. 3

gwuc-n Ton on motor vehicles Patented Oct. 9, 1928. v

ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 'P. HANSON, OF BUTTE, MONTANA SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILE};

Application filed June 17, 1924:. Serial No. 720,643

This invention relates to a signal device or semaphore designedprimarily; for use one of the objects of the invention being to providea compact struce ture that can be attached readily to the side of anautomobile, the structure being adapted for use with machines of eitherthe open or closed types.

vAnother object is to provide a semaphore or signal device adapted to beoperated electrically through the actuation of a switch locatedconveniently near the drivers seat and bythe manipulation of which anyselected signals can be displayed.

A still further object is to provide a semahore utilizin a rotar elementCOIltZLlIllIl suitable characters or symbols for indicating contemplatedmovements of the vehicle, said characters or symbols being duplicatedwithin the device and so positioned that corresponding characters orsymbols will be dis-.

played at both the front and back of the housing of thesemaphoresimultaneously, f

thereby to warn persons 1n front as Well as back of the vehicle. Afurther object is to provide a novel arrangement of electronagnetscooperating with an armature extending from the rotary element so thatby energizing one of the magnets the armature will be attracted theretoand bring the selected characters or symbols to exposed positions in thehous- Another object is to provide a single lamp within the housing thatwill be illuminated atall times while the characters or symbols aredisplayed. i

A still further object is to provide a novel form of switch havingcontacts associated therewith and controlling circuitsnot only throughthe electro-magnets and the lamp but also to an audible signal that willbe sounded every time the switch is shifted for the purpose of changingthe'semaphoro signal.

Another object is to provide means for extinguishing the headlights andilluminating the dimmers therein while the semaphore signal is beingdisplayedysaid means being controlled by the same switch that controlsthe semaphore. 1 v

With the foregoing and other objects in view which'will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter deparent scribed and claimed, it being understood that, changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made withinthe scope of what is claimed without departinglfrom the spirit of theinvention.

In'the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings 1 Figure lisa side elevation of a portion of a vehiclehaving the present "improvements combined therewith. p

Fig. 2 is a, rear elevation of'the semaphore orsignal device, the letter'C,, indicating caution being displayed in the window of the housing. iV

Fig. 3 is'a section on line, 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-.4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section'on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the magnets and lamp socketbeing shown in plan. f

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the switchboard an swi c Fig.- 7 -'sanelevation of the side of the switch board opposite to, that shown inFig. 6.

Fig. 8 isa' section on line 8,.8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a view showing,indiagram, the complete apparatus. 7 i

Referring. to the. figures by characterszof reference I 'designates'acylindrical housing provided with diametrically opposed win- (lows 2 and'3 preferably closed with trans? glass as shown me. A bracket 5 isextendedradially'from the housing midway; between the windows 2 and 3and is adapted to be fastened in any suitable manner to the side Avehicle or to the side of the body of a closed car at any desired.point. The housing has a top closure (Sand a bottom closure 6' andtheseclosure's can be fastened in place by any suitable means providedfor'that purpose. Secured within the upper portion of the housingl is adisk 7 constituting a par titionand on this disk is mounted an audibleof the wind shield of the a '3 signal of any suitable form. In thec0nwardly from an arcuate cross head 12 eX- tending across and integralwith the lower end of a cylindrical cage 13 fitted snugly within andadapted to rotate relative to the housing 1. A reinforcing arm 14:extends from the center of the cross head 11 to the wall of the cage. Itwill be noted that the wall of the cage includes, in the presentinstance, six windows arranged in three pairs, the'windows of said pairsbeing indicated respectively at 15, 16 and 17 -These Windows are ofglass, the glass of the windows .15 being of one color, the glass of thewindows 16 being of another color and the glass of windows 17' being onanother color. Suitable characters or symbols are painted or otherwisedisplayed on the windows. For

' example 'the windows can be provided with the letter R indicating aright hand turn; the wind0ws16 can be provided with the letter Lindicating a left hand turn; and windows l'icanbe provided with theletter' C indicating caution.

The top of the cage 13 is provided with a spider 18to which is connecteda stem 19 journaled Within the bearing 9.' The two stems 11 and 19 alineand serve to hold the cage properly centered in the housing so that itcan rotate freely. a

Secured on the bottom closure 6. are three radially disposedelectro-magnets 20,

21'and 22.' An armature 26 is fixedly at tach'ea to andextendeddownwardly from the bottom of cage 13 and is preferably crescent-shapedin cross section with its edges or horns supported adjacent the pointsof the respective cores 24; while the'intermediate portion of thearmature is supported normally close to the core 23. "A lamp socket 27issecured on the bottom closure 6 and is engaged by an incandescent lamp28 supported within the cage 13 so as to illuminate all of the windowsin the cage. This lamp is interposed between the windows 2 and 3 of thehousing. V For the purpose or controlling the opera tion of thesemaphore and other parts of the signal system there is provided aswitch heart 29 of suitable insulating material having abracket 3Oprovidedwith a split sleeve 31' whereby the 7 said switchboard can befastened securely to the post B of the steer ing wheel C. Onthis switchboard is mount eda switch lamp 32 and secured to the switch board is astud 33 on which a'switch lever 34' is adapted to rotate. A socket 35 isformedin the switch lever and stud 33 projects into it. A spring 36-isseated in the socket and bears at one end against the inner wall of thesocket and at the other end against a washer 37' adjustably mounted onthe stud 33. Thus the spring serves tohold the lever pressedfirmlyagainst the switch board 293' v g Lever '34: is provided at oneend with '52, 55 and 58. The

ed as shown at 70. A snap spaced contact lugs 38 and 39 and secured in asocket 40 in the other end portionof ii the lever a detachable plate 4L1having spaced contact lugs 42 and 43. A socket lat formed in the leverand slidably mounted in it IS a plate 45 having spaced contact lugs 4-6and a7. A sprin 48 is arranged in,

recess and presses against 45 so as to hold the lugs 46 and l? pressedfirmly agamst the switch board.

Secured within the switch board 29 is an arcnate contact 4-9havingoutstanding 'ter the contacts of one group being. indicated at i52, 53 and 54. The contacts of another group have been indicated at 55,56 and 57,

The contacts of the third group havebeen indicated at 58, 59 and 60.Disposed between the contacts 52 and 55 and between the contacts 55 and58 are additional contacts 61 located in the same'arc with said contactscontacts 5 1, 57 and60 are adapted to be engaged by the lug l6 whilecontacts 53,56 and 59 are adapted to be engaged by hip; 47. Contacts 52,61, 55 and, 58 are adapted to be en 'aged by lug (l3. Lug l2 is adaptedto engage additional contacts 62 carried by the switch board. Two ofthese contacts 62 are located adjacent and project beyond the ends ofcontact 55 while the other contacts 62 are located adjacent the contacts52 and 58 respectively and extendaway from said contacts 52 and 58in thedirection of the intermediate contacts 62. Thus it will be seen thatwhen lever 34 is moved for example, in the direction indicated by thearrows, lug 42 will engage contact 62 before lug l3 leaves contact 55and will remain in engagement with contact 62 after lug 13 leavescontact 55.

The headlights of the vehicle have been indicated at D and the stoplight has been indicated at- E. A source of electrical energy has beenindicated at F,'and is grounded as shown at 63. A conductor 64 extendsfrom the battery or other source of electrical energy indicated at F tothe elongated contact 49. The contacts 51 are electrically con there is,an elecnected asshown at 65 and trical connection 66 between thesecontacts and the stop light E which, in turn, is grounded asshown at 67.The contacts 61 are electrically connected as shown at 68 and areconnected by a conductor 69 to the headlights D. These headlights aregroundswitch 71 or the like can be provided on the switch; toard of theactuation of the semaphore.

-for separately controlling the headlights, or,

in other words, for turning the headlights off and on independently ofthe actuation of lever 34.

The contacts 54, 57 and 60 are electrically connected as shown at 72 anda conductor It will be understood that under normalf conditions lever 34can be brought to any position where the lugs 46, 47 43 and 42 are notin engagement with any of the contacts. When it is desired to cautionnearby drivers or pedestrians, lever 34 should be shifted to theintermediate position shown in Figs'G and 9. During this movement lug 42will firstcome into engagement with one contact 62, thereby completingthe circuit to the audible signal 18 and giving warning Shortly afterthe circuit to the audible signal 18 has been closed the lug 43 willmove onto the contact and the lugs 46 and 47 will move onto the contacts57 and 56 respectively. Thus a circuit will be completed from contact 49through lever 34 to contact 55' and thence to magnet 20 which will beenergized and hold the armature 26 firmly in place with the cautionsignals C displayed through the windows 2 and 3. At the same time acircuit will be completed through contact 56 to the lamp 28, which willthereby illuminate the semaphore. Another circuit will also be completedthrough contact 57 thereby'closing a circuit to the dimmer lightsprovided switch 74 is closed.

When it is desired to warn of a right hand turn the lever 34 is swung tobring its contacts in engagement with the respective contacts 62,58, 59and 60. Contact 62 will cause a preliminary sounding of the alarm 18. lContact 58 will close the circuit through magnets 21' and cause armature26 to be attracted thereto, thereby bringing the letter R to exposedposition in each extreme position, contact 51 to the stop light E.Should lever Window 2 and 3. Contact 59 closes the circuit to' the lamp28 while contact 60 closes the circuit to the dimmer lamps providedswitch 74 is closed. WVhen lever 34 at this it closes the circuitthrough 34 be moved to its other extreme position A the foregoingoperation would be the same with the exception that the letter L wouldbe displayed a left hand turn. If the switch 71 is closed the lever 34,when in its normal position will close the circuit through contact 61 tothe headlights but obviously whenever the lever is moved out of thisnormal position to its intermediate or either extreme positiontheheadlights will be turned off, the dimmer lights turned on, the audiblesignal sounded and one or theother of the letters be displayed andilluminated in the housing 1. y

WVhat is claimed is A semaphore for motor vehicles including a housinghaving diametrically opposed windows, top and bottom closures for thehousing, a bearing on the bottom closure, an upper bearing within thehousing, a cylindrical cage mounted for rotation between the windows,means extending therefrom for engagement with the bearings, said cageincluding an arcuate lower cross head, a plurality of windows carried bythe peripheralportion of the cage for exposure successively through thewindows of thehousing, separate radially disposed electromagthe controlof the operator for energizing any one of the electromagnets, thereby toattract-the armature thereto and rotate the cage to a predeterminedposition, said lamp projecting past the cross-head.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixedmy signature.

JOHN P. HANSON.

